When ‘Missile Man’ said last words to aide Srijan Pal Singh at IIM-Shillong

New Delhi, July 29: Former President APJ Abdul Kalam on Monday evening died while addressing at IIM-Shillong.Reportedly he barely spoke five minutes before he collapsed in the auditorium. Later he passed away in the hospital.

But one may not have any idea what the last words which Kalam uttered before our beloved President left us for forever.

He asked ‘all fit' to his aide, who was sitting right behind President in the auditorium. ‘Missile Man' Kalam uttered these words before he stood up to address large gathering including dignitaries and students.

This has been revealed by Kalam's aide Srijan Pal Singh himself who was present at the dais when the unfortunate incident took place.

While narrating the hapless moment, Singh was quoted by TOI as saying, "I replied 'all fit', too. Kalam barely completed the first five minutes of his address before he became silent and collapsed. His eyes remained closed and he did not utter a single word after that. We rushed him to the hospital and the doctors said he had suffered a cardiac arrest".

Earlier, his mortal remains were flown to his hometown Rameswaram on Wednesday morning in a special aircraft after people in the national capital bid an emotional adieu to the country's 'missile man'.

The special aircraft took off from the Palam airport at around 08:15 AM after all three forces gave a sendoff to the former head of the state.

Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain were present at the airport. The aircraft will fly to Madurai, from where the mortal remains will be flown in to Rameswaram by an IAF helicopter.

Wrapped in a tri-colour, Kalam's body was taken to the airport in a gun carriage from his 10 Rajaji Marg residence here at 7 AM, as officials and commoners bid farewell to the man, whose life inspired countless Indians. Naidu and Parrikar are accompanying the mortal remains of Kalam to Rameswaram.

Minister of State for Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan, who is from Tamil Nadu will also join the two Union ministers. The funeral of the former President will be held in Rameswaram, his birth place in Tamil Nadu, on Thursday with full military honours. A seven-day state mourning has been declared by the government in honour of Kalam.